Subpoena dropped against former Trump campaign chairman

Paul Manafort has reached an agreement with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

By MEGHAN KENEALLY and JOHN SANTUCCI Jul 26, 2017 12:14 AM ET

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By MEGHAN KENEALLY and JOHN SANTUCCI Jul 26, 2017 12:14 AM ET

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The Senate Judiciary Committee has dropped its subpoena compelling former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort to appear after reaching a deal to work together, according to sources close to Manafort and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The committee confirmed that an agreement was reached and Manafort will not be at a Wednesday committee hearing, as ordered in the subpoena.

"Faced with issuance of a subpoena, we are happy that Mr. Manafort has started producing documents to the committee, and we have agreed to continue negotiating over a transcribed interview. It's important that he and other witnesses continue to work with this committee as it fulfills its oversight responsibility," read a statement from Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the Judiciary Committee's chairman and ranking member, respectively.

"Our investigation is still in its early stages, and we will continue to seek information from witnesses as necessary. As we've said before, we intend to get the answers that we need, one way or the other. Cooperation from witnesses is always the preferred route, but this agreement does not prejudice the committee's right to compel his testimony in the future," the statement continued.

The subpoena — issued on Monday and announced this morning — has been withdrawn, a Judiciary Committee source told ABC News.

An earlier statement from Grassley and Feinstein read that Manafort would be excused from the Wednesday hearing "if he would be willing to agree to production of documents and a transcribed interview, with the understanding that the interview would not constitute a waiver of his rights or prejudice the committee's right to compel his testimony in the future."

"Paul Manafort met this morning, by previous agreement, with the bipartisan staff of the Senate Intelligence Committee and answered their questions fully," Maloni said.

Maloni said of Manafort's negotiations with the Judiciary Committee, "Paul has been cooperating from the beginning, and we hope to work something out." A source with knowledge of those negotiations told ABC News that Manafort's team was invited to attend today's session with Intelligence Committee investigators but the Judiciary Committee declined that invitation.

Manafort, 68, joined the Trump campaign on March 29, 2016, to lead its delegate-wrangling efforts.

A news release from the Trump campaign at the time said Manafort was "volunteering his considerable insight and expertise because of his belief that Mr. Trump is the right person for these difficult times."

Manafort was promoted to the campaign's chairman and chief strategist in May and directed the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July.

He departed the campaign on Aug. 19, the day after The Associated Press reported that his firm had lobbied in the United States on behalf of the then-ruling Ukrainian political party even though he did not disclose his work as a foreign agent, as mandated by federal law.